Air travel messes with your health.
Cabin air is recycled and dry, boosting your chances of catching a respiratory cold. Airline food is subpar at best, while drinks are prone to bacteria when pitchers and kettles aren’t properly cleaned. Then, of course, your gut needs to manage changes in air pressure.
Staying healthy during air travel can be nerve-wracking. If you’re facing added stress like delays or even missed connections, our attempts at staying healthy usually fly by the wayside.
That being said, having the right plane snacks with you can ease stress while keeping you properly fueled for the journey ahead. Plus, you’ll save big by avoiding those pricey airport meals.
Want to know which plane snacks doctors recommend you bring with you to the airport? Before we dive in, let’s first recap which foods you should be avoiding.
Which foods should you avoid on long flights?
- Avoid carbonated drinks before your flight. Drinking carbonated drinks before your flight can lead to added bloating and gas at 35,000 feet thanks to changes in air pressure.
- Avoid red meat. If you struggle with heartburn, avoid red meat before and during your flight.
- Avoid fried foods. The same is true for fried foods. Along with heartburn, the salt in fried foods can contribute to dehydration, especially if you’re drinking alcohol onboard.
- Don’t drink alcohol. Speaking of alcohol, drinking on a plane will lead to dehydration, which can, in turn, cause nausea and headaches.
- Don’t drink caffeine, either. If you need a little caffeine boost, doctors recommend drinking soda instead of coffee. Like alcohol, coffee is a serious diuretic that can cause nausea and headaches. Make sure to drink added water if you need that coffee.
Best plane snacks to have on a long flight
Now that you’ve been warned, let’s focus on the fun stuff. According to doctors and nutritionists, frequent flyers, and flight attendants, these are the best plane snacks to have with you at the airport and on long flights.
(I’m omitting snacks that include peanut butter. On the last flight I took, the attendants asked passengers to avoid eating peanuts and peanut-heavy foods because one passenger had a severe allergy. I recommend avoiding walnuts and hazelnuts for this reason, as well.)
- Protein bars: Protein bars give you all the right types of calories and nutrients in a condensed package, which is a hard combination to beat when it comes to plane snacks. The more natural the ingredients, the better.
- Fruit & dried fruit: Always pack fruits that are easier to manage on the road, such as apples, pears, and oranges. I love bananas, but they’re hard to transport. The same for berries and grapes. That being said, feel free to bring a Tupperware with you.
- Veggies: Celery and carrot sticks are a favorite of mine. You can usually find these inside the airport, too.
- Nuts/seeds: As mentioned above, I don’t recommend bringing on raw peanuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts because they can cause allergic reactions for anyone with severe allergies by passing through the air alone. Almonds are my go-to.
- Crackers: Seed-based crackers and whole-grain crackers go easy on your digestive system while also giving you plenty of fiber. That’s a win-win in air travel, even if crackers aren’t the sexiest snack out there.
- Banana bread: Need an excuse to finally use those frozen bananas in your freezer? A DIY banana bread (or store-bought) is an easy-to-pack snack that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Water: I usually avoid the water offered on planes because it’s stored in tanks that are very rarely cleaned. Grab a large bottle of water at the airport or bring a reusable bottle with you, then fill it up after getting through security. The more you drink on the flight, the better you’ll feel.
